September 2004 Disasters

Sept. 5–8, east and west coast, Fla.: Hurricane Frances, downgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 2 storm, made landfall on the Atlantic coast of Florida, near Stuart, on Sept. 5, moved across the state dropping up to 13 inches of rain. Frances made a second Florida landfall, as a tropical storm, at St. Marks on the Panhandle on Sept. 8. More than 2.8 million people were evacuated and damages estimated at $9 billion. The storm killed at least 38 people.

Sept. 3–8, Sichuan province, China: Five days of downpours have left 172 people dead. The flooding led to concerns about damage to the Three Gorges Dam.

Sept. 7–8, Japan: Typhoon Songda, a powerful typhoon, killed 31 people in Japan and on freighters at sea. Songda was the seventh typhoon to hit Japan this season; there have been nineteen Pacific typhoons this year.

Sept. 8, Caribbean: Hurricane Ivan, a Category 4 hurricane, ripped through Grenada, damaging an estimated 90 percent of the homes on the island. There was wide-spread destruction in St. George's, to the main hospital, the emergency control center, and the prison. Ivan, continued north, hitting Jamaica and battering the Caymans. Both islands experienced storm surges, major flooding, and destroyed homes. A total of 66 people died.

Sept. 16, Ala., Fla., La., and Miss.: Hurricane Ivan, made landfall at Gulf Shores, Alabama, as a Category 3 hurricane, causing severe flooding and power outages from Louisiana to Florida, with some of the worst damage in the Florida Panhandle, where the storm spawned deadly hurricanes. The death toll is at least 52 and damages are estimated at $12 billion. Heavy rainfall and tornadoes spread into N.C. and Tenn.

Sept. 18, Gonaives, Haiti: Tropical storm Jeanne brought torrential rains and flooding to Haiti, killing more than 2,500 with more than 1,000 still missing. The storm killed 31 more in the Caribbean.

Sept. 25, Atlantic Coast, Fla.: Hurricane Jeanne, the fourth hurricane to hit Florida in 6 weeks, made landfall at almost the same area as Frances, three weeks earlier. Jeanne brought strong winds and more flooding to an already saturated state and then continued north through Georgia and South Carolina with heavy rains, killing 28. Total damages for the 4 hurricanes estimated to be more than for Andrew in 1992.